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I got it home yesterday in a car trailer, but I can't get it to turn over at all. I've got good battery power to everything else, and I do hear a "click, click, click" when I attempt to turn over the engine with the key.

I'm just looking for a little diagnostic help.

Here's what I've checked so far:

- Replaced the battery ( it was in need of one anyway )

- Checked the ignition. Everything moves inside and there is no wear in the plastic parts on inside.

- Checked the cap and rotor: they look clean... I don't know what else to check there.

- attempted to jump the starter with the battery as per other threads. Got nothing- not even an attempt to turn...

- The "clicking" becomes slower like there is a drag on the battery when the clutch is engaged while trying to start it, so I don't believe it's in the clutch cut out.

The main red power feed down to starter.. possibly dirty contact or damaged cable.

Clean the major electrical contacts and bolt back on. Pull the wire cable coating back and if you see allot of white crust it may be corroded up and not enough cable to flow the juice. cruddy contacts and broken wires = resistance

The trouble you describe is the classic symptoms of either a low charge on the battery or bad connection to it. Make sure the battery connections are clean. Check the voltage on the battery and if it is below 12 volts while cranking the engine or just at rest then you need to charge the battery.

The clicking is due to the battery trying to supply high current power to the starter motor. A battery with a low charge on it will drop in voltage and the solenoid opens up due to the lack of enough current to drive it. Once the solenoid opens the battery voltage increases, the solenoid closes again which makes the battery voltage drop again. It's a cycle of events.

The trouble you describe is the classic symptoms of either a low charge on the battery or bad connection to it. Make sure the battery connections are clean. Check the voltage on the battery and if it is below 12 volts while cranking the engine or just at rest then you need to charge the battery.

The clicking is due to the battery trying to supply high current power to the starter motor. A battery with a low charge on it will drop in voltage and the solenoid opens up due to the lack of enough current to drive it. Once the solenoid opens the battery voltage increases, the solenoid closes again which makes the battery voltage drop again. It's a cycle of events.

Bingo. THANK GOD some one still knows why a solenoid clicks.

And yeah, by ruling out a bad positive cable (and a bad ground) use jumper cables and then try again. A bad ground is just as culpable as a bad positive.

And it sounds like a dying starter if the connections pan out.. sometimes the brushes just become too warn, the shaft can flex when load is placed on it, or the contacts are arching when voltage applied..

On my 1990 Loyale the exact issue was resolved by replacing the solenoid contacts in the starter. This is a common issue for older models and has been easily resolved by pulling the starter and replacing the contacts.